Patent attributes
An antenna stowage and deployment system, including a spacecraft and at least one pair of adjacent nesting antenna assemblies. Each of the antenna assemblies further includes an articulating deployment couple affixed to the spacecraft for deploying the antenna assembly, a first antenna affixed to the deployment couple, and a second antenna affixed to the first antenna. The enhanced antenna stowage and deployment system according to the present invention permits the separation and orientation of more than two adjacent antennas which require an extremely precise deployed position relative to a main spacecraft body. As such, the deployment couple further includes a 1-axis separating hinge and/or a 2-axis primary deployment gimbal. At least one of the antenna assemblies further includes a 2-axis secondary deployment gimbal or a rigid connecting structure for affixing the second antenna to the first antenna.
